The Unexpected Symptom That Led To This Model's Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis

Angie Everhart opens up about her life-changing doctor's visit.
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Angie Everhart has always been an active person, accustomed to the bumps and bruises that can come with things like riding horses, skydiving and participating in extreme sports. But when the actress, mom and former swimsuit model began experiencing a pain in her shoulder while working out a few years ago, she decided to get it checked out.

As Everhart tells “Oprah: Where Are They Now?” in an upcoming interview, the result of her MRI revealed a life-changing diagnosis far beyond the confines of her shoulder.

“[Doctors said,] ‘There’s nothing there, but ma’am? You have a black spot in your throat,’” Everhart recalls.

The 47-year-old was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2013.

“When somebody tells you that you have cancer, it is your worst day of your life, because that’s when you realize that you’re not here forever,” Everhart says now.

At the time of her diagnosis, Everhart’s biggest fear was not being around for her young son, Kayden. “Being Kayden’s mom is my favorite job ever. Oh, it is going to make me cry. Dammit,” she says, wiping away tears. “I didn’t know if I was going to be able to see him grow up.”

Everhart underwent surgery for her thyroid cancer in May of 2013, and soon after declared that she was cancer-free. Today, Everhart credits her health ordeal with giving her a renewed, more positive outlook on life in general.

“It made me appreciate life a lot more. It made me a happier person, because life is precious,” she says. “I was kind of going through the motions. I think I got bored. Things just didn’t excite me before. Now, things really excite me a lot more.”

Everhart’s full interview airs this weekend on “Oprah: Where Are They Now?”, Saturday, Sept. 17, at 10 p.m. ET on OWN. You can also watch full episodes on demand via the Watch OWN app.

Another thyroid cancer survivor:

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